TORONTO — Three women from Chechnya allegedly scammed Islamic State recruiters for thousands of dollars.
Police in the Russian province are investigating the women, who allegedly set up fake social media accounts to contact the recruiters. The women expressed interest in going to Syria, but said they lacked the funds to get there.
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After being sent money the women then erased their social media accounts.
Officials said the three women earned 200,000 rubles (about CAD $4,240), according to an Associated Press report.
A police spokesperson said the women likely won’t face any punishment for fraud, as the Islamic State would be required to file a formal complaint.
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Recruitment by the Islamic State has been wide-spread. Russian officials said more than 1,000 Russian nationals have joined the efforts in the last year. At least 130 Canadians are believed to have travelled overseas to join the extremists.
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